


On Happenstance

by Officer_Jennie



Series: Tobirama in Mythology [7]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2019-11-07
Packaged: 2021-01-24 15:10:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21340255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Officer_Jennie/pseuds/Officer_Jennie
Summary: A potential scene from Demon Child, in which Tobirama sees the woman who abandoned him
Series: Tobirama in Mythology [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1173098
Comments: 11
Kudos: 89





	On Happenstance

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Demon Child](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16664680) by [Officer_Jennie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Officer_Jennie/pseuds/Officer_Jennie). 

Being able to travel with his brother was something of a treat. Hashirama wasn’t exactly being vain knowing that so much of the war effort fell on the both of their shoulders, so he made sure to treasure every second of the road he got to walk side-by-side next to Tobirama - who at the very least looked a little less stressed than he’d assumed he would.

Worried died hard in that overactive brain of his, and any time away from Itama was time spent trying to get back to him faster. He wished he could do more to assure the man their little brother would be fine in his absence, and wilted every time he failed to do just that.

But that was all stuff he could think about later. For now Hashirama just wanted to treasure this time together, a smile beaming across his face as he walked right down the street with little worry, finding the crowds often left him alone and hardly ever stopped in his path. He made sure to stick near the shade just for Tobirama’s benefit, his little brother preferring to keep where they could make an easy escape if it was necessary. Which he highly doubted it would be, considering all they’d come to this side of the country for was an inane meeting with the daimyo.

A daimyo who was really only in power by name at this point, but, once again, something to contemplate later.

It was at least cool for a summer evening, so much so that even the flies weren’t out in droves as they usually were. Hashirama chatted away as his brother grunted here or there, but his imitations of their father couldn’t fool him. From the slacking of his shoulders Hashirama could tell he was relaxing in some fashion, though why he would be relaxing here really was beyond him.

But then he stopped. Or, rather, he had at some point and Hashirama had to stop and hunt him down when he noticed, pouting since he’d apparently been chatting away to himself like a loony for only the gods know how long.

“Otouto, you have to tell me when you stop.” He continued to pout right up until he caught how stiff his brother was, finding his back suddenly straight as he slid right next to him, eyes hard as he tried to find whatever his brother had spotted.

Little startled his brother. Whatever had caught his attention then had to be serious.

But as Hashirama scanned the crowd ahead and the little shops across the way, he saw nothing of note. Children running about with their chubby hands clasping treats from the stalls the next street over. Civilians weaving in and out of the crowd, chatting with their companions or alone, not a one of them seemingly a threat to them.

From what he could tell, though, Tobirama would looking passed the crowd. He peeked over his shoulder to better figure out what _exactly_ had his brother’s eye, and from the looks of it it was the little tea shop across the way. Some tables were set out in the shade, a few patrons settled in the seats there, a woman in a dark blue apron setting about pouring their tea while her loose bangs blew all over the place in the wind.

Tobirama had stopped breathing. He wasn’t blinking, wasn’t twitching, wasn’t doing anything but standing there and existing. As if one of those patrons or the woman serving him had simply shocked him so hard that he couldn’t remember how to be human.

With a small bit of reluctance, Hashirama placed a gentle hand on his forearm, not very surprised by the violent jerk it earned him. He purposely overlooked it, flicking his gaze towards the people at the cafe, keeping his voice both low and soft as he asked, “Who are they?”

He didn’t even know which ‘they’ he was speaking of. All Tobirama did was blink for a few seconds anyway, as if bringing himself back to the moment, processing what was happening.

It was a visible difference when he brought himself back. His face and jaw suddenly hard, eyes cold, the barest bit of a sneer twitching his mouth as he turned on his heel and pushed right back down the street with little more than a “No one”.

No matter how many times Hashirama tried to get more out of him, he got nothing - and for the rest of their trip he couldn’t help but think some sort of sadness had infected his brother.

It was yet another thing Hashirama had no cure for.


End file.
